December 13, 2023

Ezekiel 36: 22 “. . . ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake . . . that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name . . .’” (NIV)

The glory of humanity is that we are at the same time nothing and everything.*

Through his prophet, Ezekiel, God makes some promises to the Israelites – but first, he makes it clear to them that the good things that are about to happen have no connection to any good thing that they have done. No, they will merely be the “channel” through which God will accomplish his goal: to return the glory of his name among the nations. They will be blessed for the Lord’s sake, not for their own. 

In our desire – and struggle – to glorify God in our lives, have we drifted into believing that God can’t be glorified without our help? The truth is, the glory we manage to bring to God is a frail and feeble thing compared to what God can do for himself. For his own sake, he can glorify himself. Creation itself is proof of that. His every move in the history of Israel speaks loudly of his glory – sometimes for their sake, but always for his own. Yet, as weakly as our glory shines, he wants it. For his sake and for ours. And he is worthy.

God has been pleased therein to twist interests with us, so that in seeking his glory we really and effectually seek our own true interests. (NIV)